I think many leaders today are lost. They have an idea about where they’d like to be, but they’re unsure on how to get there. Instead of taking a chance and venturing into the unknown, many choose to stay where they are. But, what if I told you there’s a secret to discovering places you’ve never been? What if I told you there’s a map?

Now, you won’t find this map at the local visitor’s center, and you won’t find this map on Google. This map exists inside of everyone, yet very few people ever choose to open it. John Maxwell said this, “God’s gift to me is my potential. My gift to God is what I do with that potential.” If you want to reach your full potential as a leader, you’re going to need a map.

Motivation

Attitude

Priorities

First, you’re going to need motivation. Without motivation, you’ll never get started or you’ll give up long before you get to your desired destination.

Motivation

• All great leaders understand that their number one responsibility is for their own discipline and personal growth.
• Growth is only possible when the leader is willing to “pay the price” for it.
• What you are going to be tomorrow, you are becoming today.

Next, you need the right attitude. Attitude is a leader’s most important asset. No one wants to go anywhere with someone who has a terrible attitude.

Attitude

• Great leaders understand that the right attitude will set the right atmosphere, which enables the right responses from others.
• A leader’s attitude is caught by his or her followers more quickly than his or her actions.
• God chooses what we go through. We choose how we go through it.

Next, you have to have your priorities in order. Your priorities determine your direction. Many leaders have a desired destination, but their priorities are leading them to a completely different place.

Priorities

• The petty and mundane steal much of our time. Leaders need to set their priorities.
• Good is the enemy of best. Leaders need to spend their time doing the things that have the greatest impact.
• Leaders need to set deadlines. Parkinson’s Law says if you have only one letter to write, it will take all day to do it. If you have twenty letters to write, you’ll get them done in one day.

Success is a journey. It’s achieving one thing and using that as a stepping-stone to achieve something else. Success requires the right motivation, the right attitude, and the right priorities. Success requires a map.

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me.” –Erma Bombeck